I am an international student and completed a master’s degree in clinical neuropsychology at the University of Sheffield last year.
I saw this achievement as a testament to the inclusivity of global education, and was thrilled to be invited to the graduation ceremony this month.
To my dismay, my visa application to attend was refused for reasons that were unclear. To make matters worse, the current system denies me the right to appeal.
International students like me invest so much in our education, only to encounter barriers that undermine the very principles of fairness and accessibility that higher education aspires to uphold. We contribute immensely to the UK’s academic, economic and cultural fabric, but the system risks alienating us at a time when fostering global connections should be a priority.
FZ, Kosovo
Firstly, congratulations on your achievement. I was distressed to learn that you were barred from your own graduation ceremony and suspect that others will be in the same predicament if their student visas expire before their graduation.
The refusal letter from the Home Office states that you had declared on your application that your father would be funding your seven-day trip to the UK, but that he had failed to provide satisfactory evidence of his personal and financial circumstances.
UK immigration rules require applicants for visitor visas to show they have sufficient funds to support their stay. You say bank statements were submitted showing that your father could cover a week’s food and accommodation, but officials concluded that “on the balance of probabilities” you were applying for a visitor’s visa under false pretences and intended to stay on illegally once in the UK.
Given that you had satisfied requirements when you were accepted on the 12-month course, this was confusing and I asked the Home Office if it could provide any further information.
It says: “International students who are returning to the UK for their graduation ceremonies are always welcome to celebrate their achievements. However, visitors must still meet the requirements in accordance with the immigration rules and, where necessary, we may request further evidence to support applications.”
That seemed to be that. Yet hours after I’d spoken to officials, and a couple of days before the ceremony, you were contacted and advised that you could travel after all, and graduated in style earlier this month.
The Home Office refused to explain the U-turn. I asked the UK Council for International Student Affairs if your plight was a common one, but it declined to comment. As did Universities UK.
However, Zeena Luchowa, partner at law firm Laura Devine Immigration, says you are far from alone, and things are getting worse.
“We are seeing a general increase in inquiries from individuals who have had visitor visa applications refused,” she says. “Students are likely to face additional challenges if they are unable to show they have a home, assets, employment, or family ties, and commitments which would convince the Home Office caseworker they will leave the UK.
“Evidence of a graduation ceremony alone would not normally be sufficiently persuasive for a caseworker to grant the application.”
I’d be interested to hear from any other student forbidden to graduate in person.
Email your.problems@observer.co.uk. Include an address and phone number. Submission and publication are subject to our terms and conditions
